Community
Give the Gift of Life, On or Off a Bus
August 25 2022
You've probably seen blood donation coaches across town from time to time, often with the words "Give Blood, Save A Life" across the side. Blood donations do, in fact, save lives everyday! While 1 in 7 hospitalized people will need a blood transfusion in a lifetime, only 1 in 20 eligible blood donors actually donate. Blood donations are essential to patients who need blood because there is no substitute for blood. Each donation can save up to 3 lives because a whole blood donation can be divided into three components — plasma, platelets and red blood cells. Here's how they benefit recipients:
- Plasma is effective in treating burn or shock patients.
- Platelets help cancer and bone marrow transplant patients recover.
- Red blood cells are often necessary to treat surgery patients, babies born prematurely and trauma victims.
How to Give
WHOLE BLOOD
The entire whole blood donation process, from registration to post-donation refreshments, takes just under one hour, with the actual donation taking five to 10 minutes. You may donate whole blood every 56 days.
AUTOMATION
Automated donations allow you to selectively donate the blood components that are needed most, with the remaining blood returned to you. Since platelets only have a shelf life of five days, donors are needed continuously. It takes about two hours to donate platelets and you may donate every seven days, up to 24 times per year.
Where to Give
DONATION CENTER
Did you know that you can give the gift of life through blood donation at a brick-and-mortar location right here in Katy? Your Katy Neighborhood Donor Center is conveniently located at
1575 S Grand Parkway, Suite 600 in Katy, TX 77494. The Blood Center is open from Monday through Saturday from 8:00 AM until 4:00 PM. Here are a few highlights about the Center:
- Five donor screening rooms and eight collection beds.
- Variety of ways you can choose to Commit for Life, including whole blood and Apheresis technology.
- Experienced and knowledgeable staff that is ready to answer your questions and care for you while you help save a life.
- Donor relaxation area featuring fresh-baked cookies daily for donors' comfort and enjoyment.
- Children's play area so that donors can watch their children enjoy videos, toys and games while donating.
MOBILE DRIVES
Their state-of-the-art donor coaches create the best donation experience at mobile blood drives, even where space is at a premium. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center works with groups of all different sizes, from Fortune 500 companies to family-owned and operated small businesses. The work they do impacts real people and real families every single day. Big or small, your blood drive and donations make a huge impact on our community.
Want to host a blood drive at your business, church, school or event? Give the gift of life while having fun and making memories! Learn more about hosting a blood drive with a mobile donor coach and make a difference in your community.
A Sweet Incentive
Have you heard the scoop? Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center still keeps it local by celebrating a three-decade-long partnership with Blue Bell Creameries this August as part of our annual Pint for Pint promotion. Donors have made Blue Bell a tradition, and we are continuing the tradition for 2022.
During the Pint for Pint promotion, all successful donors will receive a voucher from Blue Bell for a free pint of ice cream, redeemable at your local grocery store, when they donate a pint from August 1 - 31. Dating back to 1990, Blue Bell Creameries has consistently been saving lives with Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center by donating vouchers for free pints of ice cream to thank donors for their donations. Promotional items give donors an extra incentive and encourage the community to roll up their sleeves and donate blood.
Other Benefits
When you give blood, you can receive a text message when your donation is on its way to a local health care facility to save lives. Additionally, donors can earn points that can be redeemed for electronic gift cards for a variety of retailers in their Donor Rewards store. Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center's Digital Donor app makes it easy to find a location and schedule an appointment - donating has never been so easy!
To learn more about Gulf Coast Regional Blood Center, visit their website at giveblood.org.
